Holy Spirit Power
By Capazin Thornton
When I read the Book of Acts, it’s as though I am teleported back in time to the first century. As I stand gazing, I find an exhilarating, engaging, emboldened community of spiritual leaders and Christ believers, all with Holy Spirit power.
Church birthed in Holy Spirit power
The church was birthed in Holy Spirit power. For 10 days after the Lord’s ascension, approximately 120 disciples (including the apostles, the women, Mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers) were in the upper room in Jerusalem in one accord praying and waiting for the promise of the Holy Spirit. (Lk 24:49; Acts 1:8; Acts 13-15)
The Day of Pentecost arrived with glorious signs and miraculous outcomes:
| ♦ | A sound (roar) from heaven like a rushing blast of wind |
| ♦ | Visible tongues of fire appeared and sat upon each of the disciples |
| ♦ | They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to glorify and praise God in languages that no one had taught them |
| ♦ | Jews from every nation heard these praises in their respective language |
| ♦ | The apostle Peter preached with such power that 3000 people were saved. |
Believers had Holy Spirit power
Ordinary believers had Holy Spirit power. Stephen was “full of faith and power and did great wonders and signs among the people.” I stand in awe of Stephen’s clear and bold exegesis of the Scriptures and the courage, commitment, grace and love he showed in the face of imminent death by stoning. (Acts 6:8; Acts 7:2-60)
After Stephen’s death, persecution arose against the Christ believers at Jerusalem. As the result, they were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. “Those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.” (Acts 8:4)
Philip, a deacon and evangelist, preached in Samaria with great success. The apostles Peter and John then followed up by going to Samaria to pray for the new believers to receive the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:1-25)
Then an angel told Philip to “go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” By taking that route, Philip’s path crossed with a high-ranking Ethiopian eunuch (over the queen’s treasury) who was on his way to Jerusalem to worship. The eunuch was reading out loud from the book of Isaiah. Philip engaged him in a conversation and then explained the Scriptures to him. The eunuch received Christ, was baptized in water, and went on his way rejoicing. Philip was supernaturally caught away by the Spirit and was found in Azotus. Passing through Azotus he preached in all the cities from Gaza to Caesarea. (Acts 8:26-40)
Spiritual leaders had Holy Spirit power
The Spiritual leaders had Holy Spirit power. The church began with the apostles all filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. Then Saul of Tarsus, who had been the church’s chief persecutor, had a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus. (Saul was his Hebrew name, Paul his Greek.) Later filled with the Spirit, through Paul’s missionary journeys, churches were established, multiplied and grew. As commanded by the Lord, the gospel was preached in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (then, the Roman Empire). (Acts 8:1-3; Acts 9:1-22)
With great apostolic and prophetic leadership, and strong pastors and teachers, ordinary believers grew in grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and did extraordinary exploits for the kingdom of God. Their tools were simple: raw faith in God and His Word, the Name of Jesus, fervent prayer, and Holy Spirit power.
***
Please feel free to post your comments regarding this article.
Capazin Thornton is a Christian speaker and author in Orange County, California.